Always By Your Side
by angel-death-dealer
Summary: A moment in the Storm household where a young Sue makes a proud promise to her baby brother.


Susan storm ran through the hall eagerly, dodging the catering staff taking food through to the dining room. Her parents were having a dinner party that night for some of her father's colleagues from the university, and a lot of top scientists were going to be there. Sue was meant to be in the living room, her own bedroom, or playing in the garden, where she wouldn't get in the way of the private catering company setting up for that evening's meal. However, she was now doing two things that she wasn't allowed to do in the house. Number one, running in the house, and number two, disobeying her parents. Her aunt scolded her momentarily, but the seven-year-old girl was on a mission, and didn't stop running until she ran directly into something. Falling on her behind roughly, she looked up to see what she had ran into, finding her father stood over her.

He gave her a short sigh. "Susie, my dear, why are you running?" He asked her, sounding exasperated, but thankfully, not angry.

Sue climbed to her feet with the help of her father's arm. "Sorry, Daddy."

"Does that explain why you are running?" He asked her.

She looked down for a moment. "No, Daddy." She said quietly.

"Your mother's putting a lot into this preparation today." He reminded her, and she nodded. It was important to her mother that their family looked good for the scientists visiting that day. "So, my darling, why are you running?" He questioned.

"I was trying to find Johnny." She explained.

Franklin Storm smiled down at his daughter, as everything fell into place with her explanation. Ever since his son, Johnny, now a year old, had learnt to crawl on his hands and knees last month, he was constantly following his elder sister around. It was a wonder that he was seeing Sue standing before him without her new found shadow.

"And what trouble has your brother gotten himself into today?" Franklin asked with an amused smile, as he led his daughter to the side of the hall, out of the way of a caterer carrying a tray of shrimp.

"I don't know, Daddy." Sue shrugged. "I haven't seen him since this morning."

Now this was definitely surprising.

"He was with your Aunt Mary earlier, have you asked her?" Franklin suggested.

Sue nodded quickly, her blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders. "She said to ask Mommy, but I can't find her either."

As if on cue, Franklin smiled, as he saw his wife and son further down the hall. The mother of his children holding their newest child against her him. However, little Johnny was struggling in her arms, now that he had seen his father and sister, and was trying to get to him. Eventually, his struggling worked, and he was placed on the ground. Satisfied, Johnny arranged himself so that he could easily move, and them made his journey over to the other members of his family.

"Well, Susie, it seems that your search may be over." Franklin commented, and watched as a confused Sue looked around her.

"It is?" She asked.

He smiled, nodding. "Look at your feet, sweetheart." He said, pointing downwards.

Sue looked down, and saw Johnny now sitting at her feet, staring up at her with his wide blue eyes, and a smile on his baby lips. He took hold of his sister's ankle and help onto it tightly, making a pleased sound through his smile. "He found me instead." She giggled.

"Yes, he did." Franklin nodded, putting his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"He found me, because I'm his sister, and he knows now."

"Knows what?" Franklin asked.

Sue smiled down at Johnny, who laughed up at his sister, and then she looked back up at their father, her own pleased grin on her beautiful little face. "That I'm always gonna look after him." She pointed out.

Franklin sometimes thought that this was just a small phase of sibling adoration, especially when his son began to grow, and loud crashes were often accompanied by annoyed squeals of "Johnny, that's mine!" from his daughter. However, it wasn't until after his wife, and his children's mother, passed away, that he understood just how serious Sue was when she promised to look after her baby brother.

Because as much as they fought, he was her brother, and she was always going to look after him.


End file.
